At a glance

9 nights on the ship

Expedition cruising in comfortable conditions

Explore the Svalbard Archipelago, a paradise of ice and tundra, inhabited by Polar bears, walrus and seabirds

Sail beyond the Arctic Circle to 80 degrees north, around the island of Spitsbergen, where snow-draped mountains rise high above the pack ice. It is the wildlife that makes this expedition so intoxicating: huge 200,000-strong colonies of Little auk thronging the cliffs and shores, kittiwakes next to the cobalt blue glaciers, walrus wallowing in the shallows, Arctic foxes, whales and, of course, one of the ultimate wildlife sightings, the mighty Polar bear, frequently seen hunting in its frosty backyard on ice floes.

Itinerary

Show detailed itinerary

1Day 1Start Longyearbyen, board ship and begin exploration.

The transfer to the ship takes place in the afternoon. Once on board there is a get together for introductions to the expedition team, to learn about the ship and its layout, talk about the itinerary and participate in the obligatory lifeboat drill. Departure from Longyearbyen is normally around 6:00 p.m.See more images and videos

2Day 2First of eight days spent exploring Spitsbergen and the Svalbard Archipelago

Sail to 80 degrees north, well beyond the Arctic Circle, around the island of Spitsbergen, where snow-draped mountains rise high above the pack ice. It is the wildlife that makes this expedition so intoxicating: huge 200,000-strong colonies of Little auk thronging the cliffs and shores, kittiwakes next to the cobalt blue glaciers, walrus wallowing in the shallows, Arctic foxes, whales and, of course, one of the ultimate wildlife sightings, the mighty Polar bear, frequently seen hunting in its frosty backyard on ice floes.See more images and videos

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Adult Group

The Akademik Sergey Vavilov takes a maximum capacity of 90 passengers, the Ocean Nova takes a maximum capacity of 78 passengers and the Sea Adventurer takes a maximum capacity of 122 passengers. The Exodus group forms part of the ship’s complement, enjoying the relaxed, intimate and informal atmosphere, which breaks into smaller groups to facilitate the frequent excursions. We offer these cruises in conjunction with Quark Expeditions and One Ocean Expeditions, and Exodus participants will join an international group, not all of whom have booked through Exodus. Occasionally some of these may be younger than 18 years old, the Exodus' stated minimum age for this trip.

Activity level

You are healthy, enjoy the outdoors and want a relaxing trip. No experience is required.

What's included

What's included

All meals while on the ship

All accommodation (see below)

All transport and listed activities

Tour leader throughout and qualified Expedition Staff

Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)

What's not included

Travel insurance

Single accommodation (available on request)

Visas or vaccinations

Accommodation details

Polar Adventure Ship

The Spitsbergen Explorer voyage is offered on the Sea Adventurer, the Ocean Nova and the Akademik Sergey Vavilov which are Polar Adventure Ships. Full board accommodation on the ship, generally on a twin share basis in a variety of cabin types, all with shared or en suite facilities.

Polar Adventure Ship
These are small (approx. 100 passengers) ice rated vessels well qualified for Polar waters. Intimate adventures are always more enjoyable with like-minded passengers and staff, so these voyages are for people who like flexible itineraries and plenty to keep them busy. Activities include frequent Zodiac excursions, trekking, kayaking and many hours on deck in areas that other ships only dream about accessing. Food and staff are superb and every guest benefits from the technical advances of this superb fleet. The extreme conditions of the Arctic and Antarctic are not to be trifled with: it is shocking the lack of respect some large cruise ships show them. Rest assured our Polar Adventure Ships enable any traveller to maximize their experience sensitively in the Poles.

Essential info

Vaccinations and Visa
No visa required for British passport holders.
There are no specific health risks. Holiday style

Travelling Conditions
The voyages are designed to be as flexible as possible, taking advantage of circumstances and events as they occur, as well as passengers' wishes and particular interests wherever possible. The atmosphere on board is relaxed and friendly with expedition staff, including naturalists and Polar experts, on hand and the opportunity to mingle with people from all over the world. The ship is kept warm, clean and comfortable.

On the Zodiac cruises you are sitting still for most of the time with the potential for some sea spray and a cold headwind - if you are not dressed appropriately you will get cold. On the shore excursions, the majority of landings are wet which means that the Zodiacs beach and you are helped to slide into the ankle deep shore break before walking up onto dry land (wellington boots are issued to all passengers).

There are, of course, no paths, so be prepared for slippery, rough terrain and sometimes fairly deep snow. Back on board the cosy ship after each adventure, you can have a hot shower and then relax with a tea, coffee, hot chocolate or something stronger from the bar.

Sea kayaking option
On many of our Spitsbergen voyages there is the chance for some members of the party to take regular sea kayak excursions in place of the Zodiac excursions. There are a limited number of kayaks on each ship, and you must book and pay for this option in advance. All kayak trips are guided, and are subject to suitable locations and weather conditions. Should the kayaking not be possible, a place on a Zodiac is always available.
Basic kayak competence is required; please ask for the Kayaking Information Sheet for more detail.

Eating & drinking

All meals while on the ship included.

The ships galley offers good quality service and cuisine throughout, with excellent chefs preparing international menus including vegetarian dishes, accompanied by a wide variety of drinks from around the world on sale.

Breakfast: Buffet style - unlimited tea and coffee, a selection of fruit juices, hot options including bacon and eggs or omelettes, a selection of bread and toast and jam/honey/marmalade, fruit and cereal.

Lunch: three course set meal or buffet, or the occasional BBQ.

Dinner:Three or four courses with a starter of soup and/or salad, a choice of mains with at least one vegetarian option and a dessert, with tea and coffee.

Trip notes

Download the detailed trip notes for everything you could possibly want to know about this trip, including
detailed itinerary and full kit list

Weather & seasonality

Spitsbergen has a short season from mid June to mid August; and there is 24 hour daylight in all three months. There may be more sea ice in the earlier months and some more flowers, but in reality with the capricious nature of the weather and wildlife there is not much to choose between them.

Gallery

Reviews & community

amazing wildlife, stunning landscapes with action packed days of zodiac trips and hikes for all abilities. a great wilderness expedition providing you are prepared for flexibility given the unpredictable wildlife, weather and sea conditions.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

sailing into pack ice and spotting a polar bear which came leaping across the broken ice to check us out and then got bored and sat down for a sleep once deciding we werent edible!

meeting the walrus up close and personal when they decided to come and check us out on the beach leading to a steady retreat to safe range! watching a hungry bear attack a walrus colony.

seeing the midnight sun from the bridge of the ship on 2 nights

watching 4 humpbacks bubblenet feeding off the bow for an hour ar 1am!

100,000 guillemots nesting on cliffs

climbing the glacier and seeing the water channels corkscrewing to the sea

hiking up moraines and mountains for breathtaking views

fantastic colours of ice and glaciers and reflections in dead calm waters with pure clear light.

What did you think of your group leader?

Delphine was very good, everything revolved round safety but she did her best to offer some sort of activities everyday apart from one day where sea fog meant we had to continue to sail.

all the guides were knowledgeable and enthusiastic,

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

go with an open mind, its not luxury cruising and you cant predict weather or wildlife encounters but seize every moment of wonder as it happens and you will remember this trip for a lifetime.

i thought the ship (plancius) was remarkably quiet and stable given 35knots of wind and 4m swell on occasion. some people struggled with seasickness. to make the most of the trips and hikes you need to be fit and mobile, the terrain is very rocky and steep in places if you do the serious hikes. take several clothes changes as you can get very wet with spray from the zodiacs. waterproof rucksack was invaluable! layers are a good way to keep warm but waterproofs are a must. be prepared for a very multinational trip. 50% were chinese and could be loud and pushy but generally people were friendly and the atmosphere very informal.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

the spitzbergen guesthouse is a glorified youth hostel with shared loo/showers per floor. we were not told that at any stage which was a nasty shock when we thought we were staying in the radisson equivalent.

the longyearbyen to oslo flight stops in tromso and you have to decamp and go thro customs. we were not told that either, this meant quite tight connections.

take lots of memory cards, you will never have enough!

food was very good and alcohol not as extortionate as mainland norway.

Svalbard is a truly unique place - simply breath taking. The holiday was packed with excitement and activities, there was always something to see or do. The activities were quite spontaneous depending on the pack ice, sea state and what wildlife was in the area, but the flexibility worked brilliantly and allowed us to get the maximum from our time on the voyage.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Kayaking in beautiful glacial lagoons was amazing, but with seals swimming alonside and polar bears close by it made the experience even more magical... The wildlife was so close. Even from the ship we had fantastic sightngs of whales, walrus, polar bears and seals. The zodiac cruises allowed us to travel into some hidden away places and see so much more, including arctic fox and rare birds. Seeing polar bears close up and thein their own environment was definitely the highlight!

What did you think of your group leader?

The guides on board M/V Plancius were enthusiastic, experienced, knowlegable and very professional. At all times we were in safe hands. The crew were friendly and helpful and everything was taken care of perfectly.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

If you are intersted in nature and wildlife or photography then do not hesitate to book this arctic voyage, it has so much to offer! Once on board you can do as little or as much as you want, but there are some amazing adventures always waiting to be had in such a wild and beautiful place. As long as you have the right clothing and equipment whatever the weather is doing you will be smiling!!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

This voyage really is the trip of a life time, so much to see and do in such a special place...

The ship on which we travelled was totally fit for purpose allowing access to areas of the Svalbard Archipelago in the far north of Norway that are not navigable by larger vessels. We were able to explore fjords and the landmass of the Arctic Circle by means of the zodiacs on board and thus really experience the wildlife, the terrain and the ice formations that make the region unique.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Of the course the most wished for spectacle is to see a polar bear close up and although they are elusive we managed to see three - two at a distance via binoculars but one obligingly swam towards the Vavilov and then alongside so that we had a real close up of this amazing creature. It was also magical to see the magnificent structure and colour of icebergs close up and the pattern of the ice mass on the water as the ship swept through it. Then there was the occasion when we temporarily lost sight of the ship when a fog came down and the ice floes closed around the zodiacs creating an eerie atmosphere that was a reminder of the wilderness that is the essence of the region and the challenge faced by early explorers.

What did you think of your group leader?

The group leader was excellent. He and his team provided a varied programme that reflected the weather conditions and the desire to provide passengers with the best opportunities to see and experience the diversity of landscape, flora and fauna that is particular to the area.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Be prepared for the cold and be patient. The wildlife can be hard to locate and a good pair of binoculars are essential to join in with the challenging and exciting task of spotting whales, bears, seals and other creatures that thrive in the Arctic.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

The Vavilov (and similar sister ships) is comfortable, manoeuvrable and with a small enough passenger group to create a friendly atmosphere onboard. The crew are ever helpful and enthusiastic and knowledgeable and there is a communal atmosphere of expectancy as each day brings its share of new vistas and weather conditions and challenges for the excellent sailors on board due to the fact that much of the water ways are uncharted. It is a unique experience to visit the locality and with the Exodus team you are in good hands.

After studying travel and tourism, Kim moved to Dubai to help sell luxury properties on the famous Palm Jumeriah. From here she moved to Madrid, and spent a year teaching English to school children. Struggling to settle back in to normal life, she hopped on a plane, and enjoyed 6 months in India, China and Southeast Asia. Kim now looks after all our clients booked to travel to the Polar Regions, and is just back (July 2010) from 10 days spotting polar bears in Spitzbergen.

With a childhood spent in Mexico, Lucy’s passion for travel started early and shows no sign of slowing down since starting a family. Her passion for the Poles spans over a decade, despite braving an especially brutal crossing of the drake in 2003 she was keen to experience more and her subsequent expeditions to Spitsbergen and Greenland have given her exceptional all-round knowledge of the Polar regions. She also loves travelling with her children, and a recent trip to Morocco cemented an already firm belief in broadening the children’s horizons early on.

Questions about your trip

Pick your question

Spitzbergen article

Catherine Aird travelled to the area and you can read her article to get a personal viewpoint of the holiday.

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